By DAISY WASHINGTON / Community Columnist

Ralph Battle has seen and done a lot in his 92 years on earth.

This father of five daughters is a Navy veteran, a Hayes Aircraft retiree, who upholstered the passenger seats of planes for more than 35 years, and a widower that endured the loss of his spouse, Anne, of 48 years, who was from Montgomery.

Ralph, who grew up in Montevallo, is a native of the small community of Six Mile, located in Bibb County.

He now lives in Hoover in Rittenhouse Village, a senior community he is pleased to refer to as home.

Ralph became an RSVP member in the spring of 1998.

His dedication to delivering meals to homebound individuals is unsurpassed.

He has logged 10,800 hours as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.

His involvement with the program “… really helped Dad, it was a blessing to all of us, all he did was work and come home,” said his second oldest daughter, Darlene. “Daddy said that if he didn’t take meals to those old people they would not get fed.”

Ralph was a regular at the Columbiana Senior Center, but his passion and focus was on making sure the meals were delivered every day.

He would arrive at the center early in order to assist with getting the meals ready to leave the center by performing tasks such as preparing the boxes that contained the meals.

Center members remember Ralph as a quiet and gentle soul, respectful of women and a true gentleman.

These days, he is left with great memories of being a husband and a father to his family, whom he relocated to Columbiana.

His sewing skills came in handy as his daughters were growing up.

“Daddy made dresses for us to wear and for our Barbie dolls too,” Darlene said.

He relished the times he spent in Pensacola, Florida, where he and his wife went fishing from the pier.

Ralph enjoyed cooking and, according to Darlene, could make a great pot roast.

He indulged in his hobby of making model planes when time afforded him the opportunity. Ralph receives weekly visits at Rittenhouse from family members and has an occasional get-together with family in the home of one of his daughters.

During this time, he is surrounded by the love and warmth of his five daughters, 12 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.